Friday, March 14, 2014

Scout

March 9th... my fourth child was born. It was an amazing day... and I didn't expect to have him so fast. The whole pregnancy was a physically easy experience... a true blessing in my book. It was not an emotionally easy time... but when is life really easy??

I felt great throughout the pregnancy... no morning sickness, no major swelling or heartburn. I exercised a lot and stayed super busy with my 3 crumbcakes and the eve-N-odd gallery. I had planned on keeping the gallery open and bringing the baby to work with me and then near the end of the pregnancy I decided to shut the gallery down and start a home based business. Month two at home and things seem to be going ok.

So March 8th... went to church with my crumbcakes--Tommy, Ben and Adeline. We came home and had lunch--pressed sandwiches (we use a brick with an eye painted on it by fav artist friend--Antoine "Sleep" McDowell... covered in aluminum foil), chips and salsa outside on the patio behind our house. I took a nice nap and then we headed to Granny and GP's house to watch a movie, eat nachos, popcorn, ice cream... Saturday night fun! I started having contractions while watching "Gravity." They weren't painful but were around 10-12 minutes apart. We headed home after the movie and I went to bed.

March 9th... I woke up around 7 in the morning and still contracting. I noticed some blood and woke up the children, "It's time!" They were pretty frantic and I said... calm down... take your time. You know... cause birthing babies takes some time. I called my mom and she was on her way to pick us all up.

We got to the hospital around 8:30 in the morning and they got me to my labor and delivery room around 9 am. The contractions were steadily getting stronger but not that bad... until the nurse broke my water. The crumbcakes were waiting in the waiting area--waiting to be brought back to see the birth. After an hour after my water was broke... we had baby Scout. I remember the nurse telling my mom to go get his siblings... and I remember thinking--it's too early.

I felt a really hard contraction and an enormous amount of pressure. He had just crowned. The doctor had just entered the room... my feet weren't in stirrups and the bed wasn't broken down. (the end of delivery beds break down so that the doctor can be close to the action). The children were sitting down on the couch--not really in full view of anything too personal--just watching from afar. I remember looking into the doctor's eyes--Dr. Raphael Guichard--and saying, "help me"--cause damn, it hurt so bad... And when they lifted my gown... Scout's head was RIGHT THERE... crowned.

At 1:13 p.m.... after another push... or two... Scout George Kosharek was born! BOOM! Pain over! New baby into our world! The doctor called the children over to see him... the nurse had covered me up... and the Doctor asked Tommy to cut the cord! Tommy stepped up and in about 3 cuts... cut the cord. Adeline was crying. Ben was looking on in amazement. Another push and I birthed the placenta. Scout looked wet--but not bloody or full of vernix caseosa. He had a head of black hair--just like the ultrasound tech promised! He was really purple when he was born and soon after was a sweet ruddy color. They handed me the baby and i was like... "oh my, I'm a mom again... and this baby is BEAUTIFUL." The whole event seems like a blur now... even the intense pain has deadened in my memories. Mom and the cakes took turns holding my sweet baby-cake. I took time to nurse him and he was a total natural at breastfeeding--latched on like a little hoover sucker machine.

The doctor also showed the kids the placenta and explained things about it to them... at the time I was holding Scout and not really listening. I was so pleased that the Doctor used all these teachable moments with the kids... it made it a really special delivery. Although every delivery is special, me thinks.

After a bit Mom switched spots with my Dad waiting in the waiting room... and he got to see his newest grandson for the first time. He is one proud GP. (Grandpa). Dad the crumbcakes and I made the room switch... on to the recovery room... good bye labor and delivery! When you get to the nursery area--there is a button on the wall... Lulu got to push it--the button makes Brahm's lullaby play--then everyone in the hospital knew that Scout was just born!